Soft-tread horseshoe.



(No Model.)

Patented Aug. 7,1900.

W. M. KENNEDY & R. C. DUNCAN. SOFT TREAD uonszsnos.

(Application filed Nov. 14, 1899.;

R0 bell CZDMZOWZ momma We AES PATENT Orricn.

WILLIAM M. KENNEDY AND ROBERT C. DUNCAN, OF FRANKLIN,

PENNSYLVANIA. I

SOFT-TREAD HORSESHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,628, dated August7, 1900. Application filed November 14,1899- Serial No. 736,922. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that we, WILLIAM M. KENNEDY and ROBERT C. DUNCAN, citizensof the United States of America, residing at Franklin, in the county ofVenango and State of Pennsyl- Vania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Horseshoes, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inhorseshoes ingeneral, and it relates more particularly to that class ofhorseshoes known as soft-tread shoes, in which a tread of rubber orother flexible or "resilient material is provided for the purpose ofdeadening the shock of the iron or steel shoe striking pavements orother hard substances, adhering more firmly thereto than the iron orsteel shoe would do, and for various other purposes more specificallyset forth hereinafter.

It is the object of our invention to construct a shoe of this characterthat will be extremely simple in its construction, strong, durable,effectual in its operation, and comparatively inexpensive tomanufacture; furthermore, to provide means whereby the resilient treadmay be readily detached from the shoe or placed in position thereon whendesired.

Briefly described, our invention consists in a metal shoe which isprovided around its inher edge with downwardly-extending leaning orcurved flanges of less depth than the calks and toe, these flanges beingof especial construction and serving to retain the resilient tread inposition on the shoe. The tread is preferably composed of a suitablepiece of rubber, though other resilient or flexible material may beemployed, and is secured to the shoe by passing a flexible bandlongitudinally through the same and securing said band rigidly at thecalks of the shoe.

Various other features of construction enter into our invention, andthese will be hereinafter more specifically described and thenparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, and in describing theinvention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification, and wherein like numerals ofreference indicate similar parts throughout the several views of thedrawings, in which- Figure l is a horizontal sectional view of ourimproved shoe, showing a hoof in dotted lines with the shoe securedthereto. Fig. 2 is an underneath plan view of our improved shoe with thetread partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of aportion of the shoe. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view. Fig. 5 is aperspective view of a part of the metal shoe and tread, showing mannerof fastening the latter. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing amodified form of tread.

Referring now to the drawings by referencenumerals, 1 indicates theshoe, which in its outline or general configuration is the same as thatof the ordinary steel or iron shoe, having the usual nail-holes 2 toreceive the clenchnails by means of which the shoe is secured to thehoof of the animal. This shoe 1 is provided at its front, on the underside, with a toe 3, the inner face 4: of which is slightly concave inform in order that the tread may be held thereby, as will be hereinafterexplained. At its ends this shoe is provided with the calks 5, and onits under face, adjacent to the inner edge thereof, is provided withintegral flanges or supports at suitable intervals throughout the lengthof the shoe. These flanges or supports 6 conform to the curvature of theshoe proper and are slightly leaning with respect to their position tothe shoethat is, they converge slightly outwardlyand the inner face 7ofthe same is thus slightly concave in form. Te preferably construct theone of these flanges or supports that is opposite the too 3 of greaterlength than the remainder of the flanges or supports and also of greaterlength than the toe in order that additional purchase or seating surfacemay be provided for the tread at this point. The calks 5, together withthe toe 8, are of slightly-greater depth than these flanges or supportsin order that when the tread is removed from the-shoe they will preventthe flanges or supports from contact with and injury by striking thepavement or other sub stance.

The tread, as stated, is preferably composed of tough rubber, thoughother flexible, resilient, or suitable material may be employed, and iscut to a length to fit neatly on the under face of the shoe, with itsends abutting against the inner faces of the calks. This tread 8 incross-section resembles the half of an ellipse, the rounded face thereofbeing downward and the flat face thereof engaging the metal shoe. It isprovided throughout its length with an oblong aperture 9, which ispreferably'placed eccentrically to its center, being nearer to the inneredge, in order that when the securing-band is drawn taut the tread willbe drawn firmly into engagement with the concave inner faces of theflanges or supports 6. This oblong aperture 9 is adapted to receive afastening-band 10, which in cross-section is the same shape as theaperture and which passes longitudinally through the tread and has itsends fastened to the calks 5. To permit of this fastening of the band,the calks 5 are provided with 0blong apertures 11, slightly inclinedwith respect to the call: and registering with the aperture through thetread when the latter is in position on the shoe. The band may beprovided with a head on its one end to engage the calk andits other enddrawn through the opposite calk and clenched around the same, as shownat 12, the calk where the free end of this band is fastened beingrecessed, so

that when the end of the band is clenched the outer face will be flushwith the outer face of the calk or lie within the plane of the same. Wemay construct the supports or flanges 6 with circular openings 14 andconstruct the tread with projections 15 to engage into these openings,as shown in Fig. 6, which, besides forming an additional fastening forthe tread, also serves to prevent the creeping of the same. However,whether the tread is formed with these projections or without the samewe preferably provide the flange or the supports with the circularopenings in order that when the pressure is applied the compression ofthe rubber will cause that portion of the same opposite these circularopenings to enter the same, and thus effect the same result as would beattained by the use of the projections. As this tread is compressed bythe pressure thereon it is forced between the ends of the flanges orsupports and the creeping of the tread thereby prevented, will bereadily apparent. To further assist in the retention of this tread uponthe shoe in its proper position, We preferably provide the flat orshoeengaging face of the tread with recesses 15' to receive the heads 16of the nails. These recesses permit the flat face of the tread to liefirmly in engagement with the shoe and also assist in its retentionthereon, as well as assisting in preventing the creeping of the tread,as stated.

Should it be desired to remove the resilient tread, as may be desired inthe case of driving on dirt roads, the clenched end of the band isreleased from engagement with the calk and the tread pulled outwardly atthis end of the shoe. This withdraws the band from engagement with thecalk at this end, and the tread may then be readily lifted out frombetween the toe and the larger support or flange opposite the same, andby withdrawing the securing-band entirely detached from the shoe proper.If desired, we may construct this securing-band so as to clenchat bothends of the shoe in the manner described, and thus obviate the necessityof withdrawing the band from the tread in order to detach the latterfrom the shoe when desired. It will be noted that such changes as thisand others covering slight details of construction may be made withoutdeparting from the general spirit of our invention.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A soft-tread horseshoe comprising the metal shoe having calks andtoe, a series of flanges formed integral with the shoe at the inner edgeof its underneath face, said flanges being of less height than the calksand toe and provided with openings, a resilient tread secured to theunderneath face of said metal shoe, and a flexible band eccentric-allyarranged in said resilient tread with its ends passing through andsecured to said calks, as and for the purpose described.

2. A softtread horseshoe comprising a metal shoe provided with calks andtoe and with aseries of apertu red flanges of less height than the calksand toe, a resilient tread secured to the metal shoe with its one sideengaging the inner faces of said flanges, said tread being provided onits upper face with recesses to receive heads of the nails which securethe metal shoe, and a flexible band passing eccentrically through theresilient tread. and calks with its ends secured to the latter, as andfor the purpose specified.

3. In a soft-tread horseshoe, the combination with the metal shoe havingthe calks and toe and provided with a series of apertured flanges, ofthe resilient tread engaging the underneath face of the metal shoe andprovided on its upper face with recesses to receive the heads of thenails which secure the metal shoe, and means arranged within said treadand secured to the calks for retaining the tread in position, as and forthe purpose specified.

4. In a soft-tread horseshoe, the combination, with the metal shoehaving the calks'5 and toe 3 and a series of apertured flanges 6 withthe flange opposite the toe 3 of greater length than the remainder ofsaid flanges, of a resilient tread 8 having recesses in its upper faceto receive the heads of the securingnails for the shoe, and a flexibleband eccentrically arranged in said tread with its ends secured to thecalks for holding the tread in position, as and for the purposespecified.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM M. KENNEDY. ROBERT C. DUNCAN. Witnesses:

CHAS. SIMMONS, H. K. BELL.

